Honorary Master

Western Force coach Dave Wessels has agreed to move to Melbourne to coach the Rebels in Super Rugby.

Amid all the carnage caused by the Australian Rugby Union’s decision to cut the Force, one of the most poignant stories was whether the 34-year-old former South African who had coached the Perth team through the 2017 Super Rugby campaign, his first season as head coach, would be lost to the game in this country.

Ireland’s Munster were circling, as were other *European clubs. There were reports that he had decided to move to Limerick. But as tempting as that option may have been, Wessels has revealed he will remain in Australia because it’s the country that first gave him his chance.

“My dream has always been to coach professional rugby and it’s Australian rugby that’s given me that opportunity,” Wessels told The Australian. “From a loyalty perspective — and I know we haven’t had the greatest couple of months here in Perth with all the speculation about the Force — but the position I’m in, I owe it in large part to the people within Australian rugby.

“A lot of the (Force) staff and players will now have the opportunity to come with us to Melbourne and I feel that if I turned my back on Australia now, I would live the rest of my life wondering where it could have ended up.”

It could now end up as coach of the Wallabies. Michael Cheika has made it clear he intends to stand down as Test coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the feeling now is that Wessels could be the man to replace him. How the fates play out over the next two years will determine whether he or Wallabies assistant coach Steve Larkham win the chance to coach at Test level.

Honorary Master

Cape Town - Crusaders assistant coach Leon MacDonald will step down from his role with the Super Rugby champions to spend more time with his family.

According to Reuters, MacDonald will assume less responsibility and take on a resource coaching role for the team. The former All Blacks' fullback helped Scott Robertson and his charges win their first Super Rugby title in nine years.

“Stepping back from the role was certainly not an easy decision to make, however the family’s preference is to be living back home in Blenheim so that is absolutely where I need to be,” MacDonald said.

“I am grateful to the Crusaders for the amazing opportunity to be a part of their coaching team this year and for allowing me to continue contributing next year from the northern end of the Crusaders region.”

Honorary Master

The Sunwolves as an Super Rugby product is compromised due to them being unable to meet certain criteria over the past 2 Super Rugby seasons. Now SANZAAR is directly involved in running the Sunwolves, essentially the JRFU has been relieved by an entity called the Japan Super Rugby Association (JSRA). Rumour has it that there are many Kiwis onboard.

I don’t like the entire restructuring, because one key change to the Sunwolves is too play more non-Japan eligible players. It skips on the idea to ready Japan going into the 2019 RWC.

More will be known in time.

Then also… in my opinion as good as Jamie Joseph may be, his play style is… well, not very much the Japanese way. They should approach the top 3 Top League clubs and rope in their coaching. Robbie Deans (Panasonic), Jim McKay (Kobelco) and Keisuke Sawaki (Suntory) are doing good work with these players and so are their assistants.

Honorary Master

Cape Town - Former All Black Scott Robertson is joining the Barbarians coaching team for next month’s matches against New Zealand and Tonga.

Robertson, 43, lifted the Super Rugby title this summer in his first season as head ccoach of the Crusaders.

He joins Barbarians head coach Robbie Deans for the European leg of the tour which will see the BaaBaas take on New Zealand at Twickenham on November 4 before facing Tonga at Thomond Park in Limerick on November 10.

Ulysses Everett McGill

The Sunwolves as an Super Rugby product is compromised due to them being unable to meet certain criteria over the past 2 Super Rugby seasons. Now SANZAAR is directly involved in running the Sunwolves, essentially the JRFU has been relieved by an entity called the Japan Super Rugby Association (JSRA). Rumour has it that there are many Kiwis onboard.

I don’t like the entire restructuring, because one key change to the Sunwolves is too play more non-Japan eligible players. It skips on the idea to ready Japan going into the 2019 RWC.

More will be known in time.

Then also… in my opinion as good as Jamie Joseph may be, his play style is… well, not very much the Japanese way. They should approach the top 3 Top League clubs and rope in their coaching. Robbie Deans (Panasonic), Jim McKay (Kobelco) and Keisuke Sawaki (Suntory) are doing good work with these players and so are their assistants.

Honorary Master

The poorly-performing Reds have sacked Nick Stiles after one season in charge and appointed former All Blacks lock Brad Thorn to lead the side in Super Rugby from next season.

Former Australian prop Stiles had been an interim co-coach of the Reds in 2016 with Matt O'Connor before he got the head coaching role.

The Reds won just four games last season and Stiles was outspoken in his criticism and frustration at his players' performances and at times off-field behaviour.

"Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) was disappointed with the performance of the Queensland Reds in 2017 and we believe we require a catalyst for change in culture, discipline and standards," QRU chief executive Richard Baker said in a statement announcing the coaching change.

"We feel strongly that Brad Thorn is the right person to lead this change and that his appointment as head coach is the necessary catalyst for that change.

"Brad has a proven track record of success as both a player and a coach. He is without peer when it comes to the culture and professionalism required to be successful at the highest level of our sport and he is enthusiastic about moving the Reds forward and creating a winning culture at Ballymore once again."

Honorary Master

Cape Town - Rebels flyhalf Jackson Garden-Bachop has signed a two-year deal with the Hurricanes which will keep him at the franchise until the end of 2019.

The 23-year-old joins the 2017 Super Rugby semi-finalists following a debut season of Super Rugby with the Rebels.

Garden-Bachop said he was excited to have the opportunity to continue his career with his home club the Hurricanes.

"I'm really happy to be settled in my home town and able to play my provincial and Super Rugby in one place and in my home town and close to my family," he said.

"Growing up in Wellington I always dreamed of playing for the Hurricanes, so I'm pretty happy to get this opportunity. The Hurricanes have some world class players, especially in my position and I'm looking forward to learning off and working alongside players like Beauden Barrett."

He will join the Hurricanes off the back of an excellent season with the Wellington Lions that saw him named as the team's player of the year.

I agree with this sentiment. His old man is an All Black so they may see some potential pumping in the young man, not to mention that he was Wellington’s starter at #10, but was unable to sign with an New Zealand Super Rugby team which urged him into the Rebels camp in 2016.

Honorary Master

Reds prop Sam Talakai is set to join his third Super Rugby club, with a move to the Rebels for the 2018 season to be unveiled tomorrow.

RUGBY.com.au understands the Talakai announcement will be the first of many in the coming weeks, as the Rebels roll out a number of new signings, headlined by Force stars eager to follow former coach Dave Wessels to his new club.

It’s understood the Reds were willing to let Talakai walk at the asking price, with the growth of Taniela Tupou this year a big factor in the decision.

The Reds have been patient since signing the schoolboy prodigy but in the back half of this Super Rugby season, as a 21-year-old, Tupou showed he has what it takes to be the starting tighthead for many years to come.